How to Roast Maca

Maca is a root vegetable which has been grown and prized in the Peruvian Andes for its health benefits and nutritional content since 1600 B.C. Incans used maca to boost energy levels and increase the fertility of young women. Although maca does not contain hormones, it has been shown to regulate metabolism, sexual development, mood, and endocrine function. With a taste similar to coffee or butterscotch, roasted maca makes a great coffee substitute or can be served cold with milk. Maca can be mixed into other foods and dishes such as yogurt, ice cream, smoothies, or homemade breads. Roasted maca is nearly double the price of raw maca, so baking it yourself can save you some money.

Things You'll Need

• Oven
• Baking pan
• Plastic bendable spatula
• Raw maca powder

Instructions

1. Spread raw maca powder out evenly over the bottom of an ungreased baking pan using a spatula. Spread the maca thinly so that roasting is more consistent. An 11 by 7 by 2 inch pan should hold approximately 2 cups of maca for even roasting.

2. Place the maca in the oven approximately three minutes. Remove from oven and stir to ensure that the maca is roasting evenly.

3. Return pan to oven and stir every couple minutes. After seven minutes of this process, remove maca from oven. It should be a rich golden brown color and will probably appear chunky. Break the maca apart using the spatula, allow it to cool. Scoop maca into an airtight container and store in a cool, dry location.

References

• Organic Living Food: Maca powder, Organic, Raw
• Love Street Living Foods: Organic Superfood Holistic Supplements: Roasted Maca Powder
• What is Maca
• "MACA, Native Food and Medicine of Peru"; Beth M. Ley; 2003